Race Across the World 2026: Epic Journey from Sicily to Mongolia Begins
The beloved BAFTA-winning series Race Across the World makes its highly anticipated return to BBC One and iPlayer for a sixth season tonight, Thursday, April 2, at 8pm. This installment promises to be the most challenging yet, as five determined teams embark on an extraordinary 12,000-kilometer adventure from the historic city of Palermo on the island of Sicily all the way to the remote village of Hatgal on the shores of Lake Hovsgol in northern Mongolia.
The 2026 Teams and Their Formidable Challenge
Operating under the series' strict rules—no mobile phones, flights, luxury hotels, or bank cards allowed—the pairs must navigate their way through eight countries over the course of eight gripping episodes. Their route will carve through Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and finally, northern Mongolia. Each team must survive on a budget of less than £26 per person per day, with the first to cross the finish line claiming the coveted £20,000 cash prize.
The 2026 contestants represent a diverse array of relationships:
- Jo and Kush (both 19): Childhood best friends from Liverpool.
- Katie (20) and Harrison (23): Inseparable siblings from Manchester.
- Andrew (54) and Molly (23): Father and daughter from Northern Ireland.
- Puja (31) and Roshni (32): Cousins from London.
- Mark (66) and Margo (59): In-laws from London and Liverpool, respectively, who have spent 40 years in a fractious relationship.
For Mark, a retired architect, and Margo, a hypnotherapist, this race represents a chance to solidify a newfound bond. After being forced to put their differences aside to care for Julia—Mark's wife and Margo's sister—before her passing, their relationship took a positive turn, making this journey a profound test of their reconciliation.
Where Are They Now? The Legacy of Past Winners
Season 1: Tony and Elaine Teasdale
The inaugural winners, retired PE teachers Tony and Elaine Teasdale from York, have embraced a life of non-stop travel since their 2019 victory. They have journeyed to destinations including Antarctica, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Patagonia, and New Zealand. Elaine, 68, credits the show with inspiring their adventurous spirit, stating they learned to "just turn up" without extensive planning. While enjoying time with their three children and seven grandchildren, they continue to seek escape during winter months, though Elaine jokes her dream of selling everything to travel indefinitely is tempered by Tony's love for football and local village life.
Season 2: Emon and Jamiul Choudhury
Emon and his nephew Jamiul, who had barely spoken in a decade before the 2020 season, not only won the race from Mexico to Argentina but also repaired a family rift. Their victory had a profound charitable impact; they donated over half of their £20,000 prize to children's charities in South America. Emon, a car mat business owner from Bradford, has since raised over £100,000 for charity, run the London Marathon for Save the Children UK, and won a Pride of Britain award. Perhaps most importantly, the show helped mend his relationship with his father before his passing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jamiul, now 30, works as an architectural designer in London while completing his degree.
Season 3: Tricia Sail and Cathie Rowe
Tricia Sail, who lives with sight loss from uveitis, won the 2023 race across Canada with best friend Cathie Rowe. The experience was life-altering for Tricia, 52, from Exeter. It boosted her confidence, ignited a passion for travel that has taken her to the Great Wall of China and the Inca Trail, and inspired a career change. She left a negative banking environment where her disability limited her opportunities and now works full-time for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) as a community connection coordinator. The show shifted her mindset from "you can't do that" to "can you do it?" significantly reducing her anxiety.
Season 4: Alfie Watts and Owen Wood
School friends Alfie Watts and Owen Wood, winners of the Asian race from Japan to Lombok, have leveraged their victory into successful careers. Owen, now 22, is a student pilot, model, and an ambassador for The Mix, a digital mental health service for young people, speaking openly about managing anxiety. Alfie has become a content creator and travel guru, founding an online community called The Travel Movement to advise others on earning while traveling. He has visited 30 countries since the show, advocating for "authentic travel" over staying in a comfort zone.
Season 5: Caroline and Tom Bridge
The first mother-and-son team to win, Caroline, 60, and Tom, 21, from Suffolk, triumphed in the 14,000km race from the Great Wall of China to southern India. For Caroline, the journey helped reclaim her identity beyond being a mother and wife. For Tom, who has cerebral palsy, it provided the confidence to openly discuss his condition with strangers. Their victory, watched by nearly six million viewers per episode, was a secret kept from family and friends until the finale aired.
New Podcast and Host Change After Scott Mills Departure
A new spin-off podcast, Race Across the World: The Detour, launches alongside the new season. Described as the main show's "younger, wilder sibling," it will chart the ups and downs of the 2026 series. The podcast has undergone a last-minute host change. Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant and Kiss FM breakfast show host Tyler West will replace Scott Mills, who was scheduled to host but was removed by the BBC following reports of a past Metropolitan Police investigation into historical allegations. The investigation, which concluded in 2019 with no charges due to insufficient evidence, involved allegations from 1997-2000.
West, who competed in the celebrity version of the show, will be joined by guests including travel influencers, comedians, celebrity fans like his partner Molly Rainford, and series four winner Alfie Watts, who will share travel tips. Race Across the World: The Detour will be available weekly on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds from Thursday, April 2, immediately following the TV broadcast at 8pm.
